The Truth
by Saturn Emway
Summary: After Johnny's death, Dallas Winston recalls the true circumstances of the Soc's death that night in the park...and the motive behind it. A shocking twist to the real story, proving that nothing is quite what it seems. Please R&R.
1. Prolouge

_Disclaimer: All characters, settings, etc. belong to S. E. Hinton.__ Italicized quote at the start of the prologue from "The Outsiders", page 56._

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Prologue

"'_I killed him,' he said slowly. 'I killed that boy…'"_

That was what I told him to say. My God, I don't know why, though. I mean I had to do something, dammit. I couldn't let the kid drown. And I couldn't let Johnny get wailed on like he did.

Of course. As soon as it happens, the second I get back to Buck's and I'm just about to fake like I was sleeping the whole time, there they come. So I give them the best advice I could. Train to Windrixville, the old church…I knew it right off the top of my head. It was like Johnny knew nothing. It was like he forgot everything.

Like he really believed he killed him.

No way in hell could he have really. Johnny couldn't kill nobody. Not even a damn bug or something. He saw me. I handed him back the knife, for God's sake…

And now he's dead. The truth died with him.

I still can't believe how it all happened…


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

I stalked off, leaving behind the kid and Johnny, along with Cherry and her friend. Cherry. She hadn't said her name when I was with them. But I sure as anything knew her. Even though we didn't pretend to know each other any. Anyone else would've wondered why she was getting so hot under the collar when I was making a move on her. I mean, most broads would've just ignored me or laughed it off. Not Cherry. I know she couldn't. She can't resist me. Still can't after all this time.

I think she remembers it as well as I do. That one night stand about a year ago. Boy she was pissed off after I hooked up with another broad soon as I was done with her. I mean, what can I say? Nothing was said, really. It was funny. I mean, before all that we'd known each other for a while. Talked a couple times. Not really anything too friendly. She wasn't big on coming to our side of town, but sometimes that old loser boyfriend of hers would drag her.

So for a long time, hours and hours, I just walked around knocking over trashcans and tossing the trash into the street, still a little miffed at her blowing me off. I remembered that party at Buck's and toyed with the idea of going. Thinking I needed to cool down someplace more than anything and (if by some miracle I found an empty bedroom) maybe sleep a little.

I was about to head over there when I saw a bunch of people around the park. The streetlights didn't quite make it to where the people were, so I couldn't see too good. I was bored a little, so I deiced to check it out.

As I got closer, I was dead shocked to see a bunch of staggering, wasted Socs all ganging up on the kid and Johnny. I didn't start over right away—a fight's a fight, and if you ain't involved you shouldn't barge in any old time just for the sake of being there. It's a personal rule for me. But I sure as hell reconsidered as soon as the biggest ones took the kid and dunked his head in the fountain. A fight's a fight, but a gang's a gang.

I circled the area for a sec so I would come up behind them. I saw Johnny on the ground, looking scared as anything. They were still focusing on the kid, but I knew they wouldn't leave Johnny alone for much longer. Then again, the kid didn't have much longer either.

Johnny slowly reached for his back pocket, and I knew he had a blade on him. He took it out and flipped out the blade behind his back. For too long a time he just sat there, and I wondered how much longer the kid had until they drowned him. And then God knew what they were gonna do to Johnny after…

I didn't think. I swear I didn't. I ran up, grabbed the knife from Johnny, and stabbed the big guy who was holding down the kid. The others around him didn't even look at me. They just saw the knife in the guy's back and ran like hell. I was positive none of them saw me. Bunch of damn cowards.

The kid jumped up from the fountain as soon as nothing was holding him. He gasped for air, and then just about fell dead at my feet. I moved him aside a little so the blood from the big guy wouldn't get to him.

I was pretty sure the kid wasn't dead, but I had to deal with Johnny looking like a ghost. I didn't know what to do. I saw the big guy's face, and when I recognized him to be Cherry's current boyfriend. Twice as big as the old one, three times as much a scumbag.

I have no idea what possessed me. If it was anyone else I wouldn't have done what I did then. But the image of Cherry all sobbing cause I killed her boyfriend…well, that was kind of all it took, even though I wouldn't admit that under torture.

I ran over to Johnny and jammed the switch back into his hand. "Johnny, listen. If anyone asks. You killed him. Just tell them that, okay?" I looked over my shoulder. The kid was still out. "You killed him. You couldn't let them do that to the kid, right?"

Johnny just looked at me, scared as anything. The look on his face scared the hell outta me. It was almost _too_ scared, if you dig me. Johnny nodded in a funny way, like his neck was on a hinge. I said, "Good," real quick, and just got out of there. I had been at Buck's for all of three minutes, just enough time to muss my hair and take my shirt off like I had been sleeping the whole time, when they showed up at the door.


End file.
